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Updated: Kayaker Fails To Navigate Colorado River Rapid In Grand Canyon National Park

An Oregon kayaker on a private river trip down the Colorado River through Grand Canyon National Park failed to successfully navigate a rapid and was pronounced dead after efforts to revive him failed.

Scott Foster, 42, of Bend, was spotted floating upside down in his kayak just below President Harding Rapid at river mile 44.5 Monday. Members of his group placed a call to the Grand Canyon Region Communications Center around 11:30 a.m. to request assistance and then performed CPR on kayaker until rangers arrived via helicopter. They in turn took over, but were unsuccessful, the park reported.

At approximately 4:30 p.m. Monday the body was retrieved via helicopter and flown to the South Rim where it was met by the Coconino County Medical Examiner, the park added. The National Park Service is conducting an investigation into the incident.